The present invention relates to a machine for mounting and removing special tires.
So-called special tires are being marketed which are capable of retaining their rolling ability even in case of puncture.
In practice, these tires are mounted on a specifically provided wheel rim, in the bead seat of which a ring of elastomeric material of adequate thickness is fitted and fixed. In case of puncture, because of the deflation of the tire, the ring rests on the ground, prevents the tire from being crushed and maintains the directional capability of the steering axle of the vehicle, improving the users"" safety.
These special tires have structural characteristics which are not part of the standard features of normal tires; first and foremost, they have different diameters for the inner and the outer sidewalls, the former being greater than the latter.
Moreover, the beads define, on both sidewalls, rings for retention and resting against the corresponding edges of the wheel rim. These rings are internally reinforced with a steel cable which is adapted to prevent their radial deformation.
Mounting and removing the special tires on and from the respective wheels currently require, indeed because of their particular structure, operations which are performed manually by using levers which, in addition to the efforts that operators must perform and to the long time required for these operations, often risk damaging the wheel rim.
In order to remove the beads of the tire from their seat when the tire is deflated, the levers are in fact inserted between the lateral ring of the tire and the corresponding edge of the wheel rim, on which the lever is then rested in order to provide a fulcrum to apply force so as to lift and extract the bead.
Likewise, during mounting the tire is fitted onto the wheel rim from the sidewall that has the largest diameter and the beads are pushed manually, optionally with the aid of a hammer, into the seating channel.
The aim of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, providing a machine for mounting and removing special tires which allows to perform the above-described operations automatically, rapidly and without damaging the wheel rims.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a machine for mounting and removing special tires which has a simple structure, operates satisfactorily and is low in cost.
This aim, this object and others are achieved by a machine for mounting and removing special tires, characterized in that it comprises a floor-mounted turret which supports a unit for coupling and turning wheels provided with special tires, and a device for transversely pushing beads of the tires, the device being provided with means for adjusting the intervention position.